Engine-starting device



July 6 1926, 1,591,435

J. FQWELL ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Filed May 4, 19?? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mfnesaea @Wiomuee:

1,591,496 M. J. POWELL ENGINE STARTING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mlreaaers' ia/w J, 0 3 13 Patented July 6, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES J. POWELL, OF BRIDGEPORT, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE-STARTING DEVICE.

Application filed May 4,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in engine starting devices, and has more particular reference to a safety starting device for internal combustion engines.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanical safety starting de vice for internal combustion engines, by means of which liability of personal injury, such as the spraining of arms etc, due to back firing of the engine caused by too early ignition of the explosive mixture, is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety starting device of the above kind which is extremely simple and durable in construction as wellas eflicient in operation.

With the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in side elevation, and partly in central longitudinal section, of a starting device constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is an end view looking toward the right of Figure 1, with parts removed to reveal other parts,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 taken substantially upon line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the pawls.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the invention is herein shown as embodying a hand crank having a shank portion com; posed of an inner section 5 and an outer section' 6 connected in end to end relationby a safety device generally indicated at ,7,

the usual clutch element 8 bein secured 1 the sinner, am the ieae e sk see 1925 Serial No. 27,977.

tion 5 for engagement with the usual well known cooperating clutch element on the engine crank shaft whereby turning movement of the hand crank may be imparted to said crank shaft for starting the engine. The hand crank further embodies a handle portion 9 whose inner end is rigidly con nected to the outer end of the outer shank section 6 by means of a transversely extending connecting portion 10 whereby the portions 6 and 9 are laterally offset relative to each other and extend in parallel relation but in opposite direction from the portion 10.

The safety device 7 essentially embodies means including pawls 11 for freely permitting rotation of the outer shank section 6 in one direction and for positively preventing rotation thereof in the other direction, and means including a fragile element 12 connecting the shank sections 5 and 6 whereby the rotation of section 6 in said one direction will be imparted to section 5 for starting the engine and whereby the section 5 may be forcibly rotated in the said other direction, due to back firing of the engine, while the section 6 is held against rotation in said other direction by said rotation preventing means, so as to prevent injury to the user of the hand crank. The safety device also includes a support 13 for the pawls 11 of the rotation preventing means, and means including a guide let to restrain said support from rotation and to permit movement of the hand crank bodily toward and away from the engine, whereby the crank may be engaged with or disengaged from the engine crank shaft.

The support 13 is preferably in the form of a cylindrical casing having a removable inner end wall 15- and a rigid outer end wall 16, a pair of depending external lugs 17 being rigid with the lower part of the casing 13 and disposed in spaced side by side rela tion to slidably receive the guide strip 14 therebetween, and the inner end of said guide strip being adapted to be rigidly secured to a fixed support, such asavehicle or engine frame, not shown. p

The means for connecting thei-shank sections 5 and 6 preferably embodies three disks 18, 19 and 20 disposed within the casing 13 in side by side contiguous vrelation, the disk 20 having peripheral ratchet teeth 21 engaged by the pawlfs' 11 which are pref.-

erably pivot-ed in recesses 22 of the casing 13 and yieldingl'y pressed inwardly to engage the teeth 21 by means of springs 23.

The disks 19 and Q 0 havehubs 2st and 25 respectively journaled in the end walls 15- and 16 of the casing 13, and the disk 18 is journaled on the hub 2st of the disk 19. The outer end of the inner shank section 5 is se cured in the hub 24 so that this shank section and the disk 19 operate as though integral parts.

The disks 18, 1'9 and 20 have marginal perforations or openings 26,- and a circular series of these openings is preferably provided in each disk so that an opening of one disk may be more readily brought into reg- ,istry with ope'nings of the other dis'ksfor reception of the fragile element 12. This fragile element ispre'ferably in-the form of a wooden pin capable of functioning iii-the desired. manner and adapted to be sheared when:- the disk 19 is caused to rotate by back firing of the engine and the pawls' 11' act to prevent rotation of disk 20. The end walls of the'casing 13 have alignedopenings 27 with which the openings of the disks are adapted to be aligned for permitting. insertioir ofia fragile pin or removal of a broken pin.

When the invention is in: the nature of a hand crank, the inner end of the outer shank section 6 i'spreferably of polygonal cross section and ren'i'ovably fitted in the similarly shaped bore of the hub 25. However, any

"suitable means may be provided for facilitating inanu-al rotation of the shank section 6.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction and operation as well astheadvantages of the present inveiitioi wilt be readily understood and appreciated by those-skilled in the art. It is noted that the pa wls 11 are so arrangednas to separately and consecutively engage the teeth 21 so th'at their operation is much more effective.

The disk 20f is provided with a circular seriesof rigid laterally projecting splines 28 which extend 'rearwardly past the periphery of the intermediate disk 19 and engage in peripheral recesses 29-of the inner disk '18. This permits rotation of disk 19 relative to the disks 18 and QOand'iiiSurcs' rotation of disks 18-a1'1d: 20 in unison, whereby the intermediaitep'art of the fragile pin 12 is shes ed: from the end portions'thereof when the engine back: fires.

Minor changes may be made without departingfrom' the spirit" and scope of the in vention: as claimed;

1:-: safety engine-starting}- devicerinclu-drelation, a clutch elemeiitup ii tlie"i is" end r the inner shank section, means for facilitatingmanual turning of the outer shank section, and a safety device connecting the adjacent ends ofsaid shank sections, said safety device including a fragile connecting element, and means including pawls for freely permitting rotation of the outer crank section in one direction and for positively preventing rotation thereof in the other direction, a support for said pawls, and means including a guide to restrain said support from rotation and to permit movement of the starting device bodily in a direction parallel with the longitudinal anis of the shank.

2. A safety engine star-ting, device comprisingacasi-i'ig, a plurality of disks j0urn-aled within the casing in sideby side contiguous relation, one off said disks being provided- -with peripheral ratchet teeth, spring pressed pawls carried by the casing and engaging said ratchet teeth=, means for preventing rotation of the casingga fragile connecting element between said disks, a pair of all gned shank sections 7 having adj a cent ends respectively engaged with the disks to rotate therewith, means upon the inner end of the inner shank section for engagement with an engine crank shaft, and means for facilitating manual rotation of the outer shank section.

3. A safety engine starting device comprising a casing, a plurality of disksljournaled within the casing in side by side contiguous relation, one -of said disk-s being provided with peripheral ratchet teeth, spring pressed pawls carried by the casing and engaging said ratchet teeth, means for preventing rotation of the-casing, a fragile connecting element between said disks, a pair of aligned'sliank sections ha-vingadjacent ends respectively engaged with the disks to rotate therewith, means upon the inner ends of: the inner shank-section for engagement with anengine crank shaft, and

connecting element between said. disks, a vpair of aligned shank 'sections having adjacent. ends respective :1" i

disks to rotate there. ith, means u-po n the engaged. -wl the iniiei' endfoff tile tater; hanks cntniismna .7 3e s a.ere as ieit' e mean fo fa llita mg manual: rotationiof the outer shank section, said fragile connection comprising a fragile pin, said disks having a circular series of marginal openings adapted to be selectively registered for reception of said fragile pin, said first named disks having huh portions for reception of said shank sections a third disk journaled upon the hub of one of said first named disks, and lateral marginal splines rigid With the other of said first named disks, said third named disk having marginal recesses in which said splines are fitted.

5. A safety engine starting device including a shank composed of an inner section and an outer section, a safety device con necting said shank sections in end to end relation and includin a fra 'ile connectin 1 u h I n 6 element, a casing for said safety device, pawl and ratchet means for preventing rotation of the casing outer shank section in one direction and including paWls carried by the casing, a clutch element upon the inner end of the inner shank section, means for facilitating turning of the outer shank section, and means for preventing rotation of said casing and for permitting movement of the starting device bodily in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of said shank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MOSES J. POWELL. 

